Improvement in combined buckle and hook



W. M. LERUH- Combined Buckle and Hook.

No. 218,820. Patented Aug. 26,1879.

@Jiiorne y.

when muro-umocmpucu, wAs-mmrron. n u:

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIGE.

WILLIAM M. LERGH, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

IMPROVEMENT IN COMBINED BUCKLE AND HOOK.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 218,820, dated August 26, 1879; application filed June 24, 1879.

To all whom it may concern- Be it known that I, WM. M. LEROH, of Baltimore city, State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Buckles and Hooks Combined; and I hereby declare the same to be fully, clearly, and exactly descrlbed as follows, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of the device; Fig. 2, a central sectional view of the same on line a: w of Fig. 1.

My invention has reference to that class of buckles which are provided with a hook at the end for the attachment of a ring, the strap end serving to retain the ring; and it consists in a device of that general class so constructed that the strap is relieved of all possible strain, so far as retaining the ring is concerned, while greatly-increased facility is afforded for fitting and attaching the strap, the specific points of novelty being indicated in the claims.

Heretofore, in devices of this class, the strap end has been tucked under the end of the hook, the hole for the buckle-tongue being formed in the strap at a distance from its end exactly equal to the internal longitudinal diameter of the device. A very slight variation or irregularity in punching the hole resulted in a partial or complete impairing of the efficiency of the device. If the hole is too near the end of the strap, the latter is easily displaced from the hook, allowing the ring to fall out, and if too far from the end the strap will not lie in the hook. N 0 adj ustmentof the length of the strap is possible.

With the device about to be described increased facility is afforded for attaching the device, while the length of the strap may be altered as desireda point of importance when the device is used on buttock-straps or in the ends of traces.

In the accompanying drawings, A is a buckle, having a tongue, a, mounted on the cross-bar b, and having at its rear end a hook, 0, whose end projects under thekeeper B, sufiicient space intervening for the passage of the strap or ring. The tip 0 of the hook is beveled upward, as shown, and the points a,'where the hook-base meets the sides of the buckle, lie

about in line with the tip of the hook. T0 attach a ring to the hook, the strap, if under the keeper, is withdrawn, when the ring is passed between the hook and keeper, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 1, until it passes the end of the hook, when it is retracted in place. The strap end is then passed under the keeper, as shown in Fig. 2. As the space between the hook and keeper is but little more than sufficient to enable the ring to pass, it is simply impossible to remove the ring, either by accident or intention, without first withdrawing the strap from under the keeper.

The strap end may projectindefinitely without interfering with its functions as the device for securing the ring within thehook, thereby admitting of an adjustment of the length of the strap.

The absence of this feature of adjustability has heretofore practically limited the applicability of the ordinary buckle-hook to use inattaching reins to bit-rings; but its presence in my device fits it for use in any connection where it is desired to fasten a strap ,to a ring or eye, and the strap end, not being under the hook end, is protected from the wear and abrasion incident upon the ordinary mode of attachment.

The hook-tip, being beveled, as shown, directs the ring back into the hook should it slip forward as the strap slackens.

What I claim is 1. A buckle having a hook made integral therewith, the end of said hook underlying the keeper, whereby a ring is secured in the hook by a strap end passing beneath the keeper and over the hook, and adjustment of the length of the strap is permitted, as set forth.

2. The buckle A, having cross-barb and tongue a, in combination with the hook G and keeper B, the latter overlying the hook, which is integral with or rigidly attached to the buckle, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

WM. M. LEROH.

Witnesses:

R. D. WILLIAMS, W. G. BARCLAY. 

